title: Brown adipose tissue responds to cold and adrenergic stimulation by induction of FGF21.
abstract: Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is a pleiotropic protein involved in glucose, lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis, with main tissues of expression being the liver and adipose tissue. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is responsible for cold-induced thermogenesis in rodents. The role of FGF21 in BAT biology has not been investigated. In the present study, wild-type C57BL/6J mice as well as a brown adipocyte cell line were used to explore the potential role of cold exposure and β3-adrenergic stimulation in the expression of FGF21 in BAT. Our results demonstrate that short-term exposure to cold, as well as β3-adrenergic stimulation, causes a significant induction of FGF21 mRNA levels in BAT, without a concomitant increase in FGF21 plasma levels. This finding opens new routes for the potential use of pharmaceuticals that could induce FGF21 and, hence, activate BAT thermogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Dionysios V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Chartoumpekis
authors.forename: Ioannis G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Habeos
authors.forename: Panos G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ziros
authors.forename: Agathoklis I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Psyrogiannis
authors.forename: Venetsana E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Kyriazopoulou
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D004149:Dioxoles; C449302:GW 6471; D010080:Oxazoles; D047493:PPAR alpha; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; C076126:disodium (R,R)-5-(2-((2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)-amino)propyl)-1,3-benzodioxole-2,3-dicarboxylate; D014443:Tyrosine; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors